[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 166 (Wednesday, October 11, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E950-E951]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING THE CAREER OF DEBORAH MONAHAN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOE COURTNEY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 11, 2023

  Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I rise today to commend and 
honor Deborah ``Deb'' Monahan, of Norwich, Connecticut, on her 
retirement as the Executive Director of Thames Valley Community Council 
for Community Action. At the helm of TVCCA, Deb has led a crusade of 
over half-century, a personal mission to uplift the lives of those most 
vulnerable in southeast Connecticut. The impact of her tenure is of 
titanic proportions. Whether you go neighborhood by neighborhood or 
town-by-town, it is impossible to traverse New London County without 
finding some person or organization that has not been touched by Deb's 
kind and giving spirit. Her stewardship as Executive Director and CEO 
will be sorely missed and impossible to replace.
  In 1973, Deb graduated with a bachelor's degree in childhood and 
family relations, setting the stage for her future of community 
service. Deb's degree was quickly put to use when, upon graduating, she 
was approached by TVCCA to serve as a case aid for early childhood 
issues. Little did she know at the time, she would transform and 
personify TVCCA's mission from the start of her career to finish. Soon 
thereafter, Deb found herself working in the agency's grants office 
where she continued a bottom-up journey of understanding the 
organization's innerworkings, a rare perspective that caused Deb to 
become such an effective, respected and well-rounded leader.
  By 1976, Deb found herself in a leadership position as TVCCA's Women, 
Infants, and Children Program Director, where she worked with various 
external partners to provide effective support for those in need. In 
1977, she became the assistant to then-Executive Director Gunderman and 
was named associate director in 1986. Her competence and dedication to 
the mission were properly recognized

[[Page E951]]

when she was subsequently named TVCCA's Executive Director and CEO in 
1998, a promotion which has bettered the lives of untold thousands.
  Deb's career, and by direct extension the growth of TVCCA, has been 
defined by her eye for establishing partnerships, only to form them but 
to nurture them into long-term relationships. She has worked in 
conjunction with community institutions like Backus Hospital, United 
Community & Family Services, and municipalities throughout the 
southeastern region. Through these active relationships, Deb has 
crafted a robust social services network to care for residents of all 
creeds. She has served as a key member of the Southeast Connecticut 
Council of Governments, the Southeastern Connecticut Housing Alliance, 
and too many other boards to count.
  Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, Deb's legacy of good works is broad and 
wide, touching people of all ages and walks of life. Although there is 
no question that Deb's advocacy for her clients is undying, the 
population she most passionately helped were infants, toddlers and 
preschool kids. It is a testament to her dedication to our state and 
nation's future generations that even in her last few months as 
Executive Director and CEO, Deb has worked tirelessly to increase 
access to quality and affordable childcare services in our region by 
expanding TVCCA's childcare center in Groton, Connecticut. TVCCA's 
childcare and school readiness centers have blossomed during her 
tenure--now serving around 900 children with Deb's eyes on increasing 
services still.
  On her long watch, Deb oversaw an unprecedented expansion of services 
offered by TVCCA. Leading with empathy and love, Deb solidified TVCCA's 
reputation as a real one-stop-shop for social services. She kept 
individuals housed through the agency's homeless prevention programs, 
warmed families through the winter with the energy assistance program, 
fought against food insecurity with the operation of the food and 
nutrition program, assisted the unemployed and underemployed find 
gainful careers--and that is just the beginning.
  Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I count myself incredibly fortunate to work 
with civic leaders like Deb, who has worked so hard to create and grow 
social assistance programs I have sought to fund through my seat in 
Congress. As someone who counts himself as a friend, I can say she 
walks through her life with a rare authenticity. Her pure, passionate, 
empathetic presence in public service will be sorely missed. Although 
we are saddened by her departure, we can take solace in the knowledge 
that her legacy will continue through the institution which she has 
poured her life into. Words cannot do justice to the permanency of her 
life purpose. Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I ask that my colleagues in this 
chamber join me in rightfully adding a layer to her already permanent 
cast.

                          ____________________